Laingsburg at Perry – – CMAC Boys Basketball – – The Bleacher Denizen – – February 6, 2026 – – by Chuck Krafft

Tonight, your Bleacher Denizen’s anticipated boys basketball game between East Lansing and Waverly is sold out and there was not a good way for me to cover the game. Fortunately, Perry’s Athletic Director was gracious and not upset by my last minute change of plans, so the BleacherDenizenMobile is headed to Perry.

This is a big evening in Perry as they are having a chili cookoff and it is the Winter Homecoming night as well. Also, the Perry and Laingsburg girls’ varsity teams played before this game.

Laingsburg won the girls’ game 51-12.

Alivia Davis led the Perry scoring with 4 points. Ruby Simon, Ava O’Connor, Addison Freed and Josie Logghe each put in 2 points.

Lilli Morrill led the Laingsburg scoring with 23 points. Brooklyn Holm joined her in double figures with 15 points. Mallory Woodbury added 6 points. Payge Woodworth put in 5 points. Leah Mills tallied 2 points.

As we wait for the boys’ teams to warm up, I hope you will enjoy this cover video of “House of the Rising Sun” from my You Tube Channel! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jm7njm5177I

The host Perry Ramblers boys’ team enters this game with a 6-7 record in the CMAC and is 8-8 overall. Laingsburg is 7-6 in the league and 7-10 overall.

I have seen each of these teams earlier this year and this is what I have learned from Perry Coach Scott Selbig and Laingsburg Coach Tim Beebe.

We’ll start with Laingsburg’s players. Landon Freeman is a quick and aggressive perimeter defender who shoots the three point shot well. Leandro Dolega-Caceres is a quick, rugged perimeter defender who uses his speed and athletic ability to get a lot of fast break baskets. Collin Logghe brings a strong basketball IQ to the Wolfpack post, where he is a good rebounder and defender. Colton Heaton is a strong three point shooter.

Waylon Rowley has a great motor; he defends the interior and rebounds well. Kollin Bentley-Barr is an accurate three point shooter. Cash Heaton defends, rebounds and scores well in the post. Jake Rivet is a fine ball handler and passer who can shoot the three point shot and is an excellent leader. He is also a fine perimeter defender.

Anthony Cochrane is a big scorer who can slash to the basket or hit shots from the three point line. When he gets hot, he’s HOT!! Trey Selbig is a tall point guard who can defend the perimeter well and can help in the post when the situation requires it. He passes and handles the ball well. He is great slashing to the basket and can also hit the three point shot. Jacob Adkins rebounds well and can slash to the basket.

Alex McEwan is Perry’s big man in the post. He is a tough rebounder and defender who can score near the basket as well. Aydin Sloan, Brady Doerner and Alex Torrez shoot the three point shot well. Dylan King is a versatile defender who covers any position well.

It is now time to look at the events of this game through the occasionally alert eyes of an Aging Bleacher Denizen who was never able to escape church league when he attempted to hoop in ages past. He was starting to show a lot of promise as a shot blocker until the basketball powers that be ruled he was no longer allowed to bring a long broomstick on the floor with him. When the shots were no longer blocked, the Bleacher Denizen’s playing time was.

Laingsburg wins the opening tap. The Wolfpack misses a threeball from the wing. Anthony Cochrane hits a three point shot from the side to give Perry the first three points of the game. Alex McEwan knocks a Laingsburg pass out of bounds; the Wolfpack retains possession. Laingsburg misses a ten foot shot from the side. Perry misses a three point shot from the wing.

Laingsburg misses a three point shot from the corner. Perry misses a driving layup. Laingsburg throws a fast break pass out of bounds. Trey Selbig drives and hits a layup to give Perry a 5-0 lead.

Leandro Dolega-Caceres hits a layup to give the Wolfpack their first two points. Laingsburg misses a three pointer from the corner. Perry misses a threeball from the top of the key. Alex Torrez ties up the rebound for the Ramblers. The Possession Arrow is impressed with his aggressive play and awards the ball to Perry.

Leandro Dolega-Caceres blocks a Perry layup. Laingsburg misses a fast break layup. Perry misses an eight footer off the dribble from the baseline. Alex McEwan is fouled on a putback and hits one of his two free throws for Perry. Jake Rivet passes to Josiah Hawes, who is fouled on a layup and hits two free throws to trim the Perry lead to 8-4 with 3:58 to play in the opening quarter.

Trey Selbig passes to Alex Torrez, who hits a three point shot from the corner for Perry. Laingsburg loses the ball out of bounds. Perry missed a threeball from the side. Everette Rodriguez passes to Kollin Bentley-Barr, who hits a threeball from the side for Laingsburg. Everette Rodriguez steals the ball for the Wolfpack. Laingsburg misses a three pointer from the side. Leandro Dolega-Caceres hits a putback to cut the Perry lead to 11-9.

Laingsburg is called for kicking the ball; Perry retains possession. Perry misses a three point shot from the side. Laingsburg misses a six footer off the dribble from the side of the lane. The rebound goes out of bounds and Perry takes possession. Alex McEwan passes to Trey Selbig, who hits a layup for Perry. Alex Torrez steals the ball just before the buzzer decides to end the opening quarter.

After one quarter, Perry has a 13-9 lead.

Laingsburg tosses the ball inbounds to start out the second quarter. The Wolfpack misses a threeball from the corner. Trey Selbig passes to Anthony Cochrane, who hits a three point shot from the corner for Perry. Laingsburg misses a threeball from the side. Colton Heaton grabs the offensive rebound for the Wolfpack. Brady Doerner steals the ball for the Ramblers. Trey Selbig passes to Alex McEwan, who is fouled on a layup and hits one of his two free throws to extend the Perry lead to 17-9 with 6:30 remaining in the second quarter.

Laingsburg misses a three point shot from the side. Colton Heaton grabs the offensive rebound for the Wolfpack. Jake Rivet passes to Josiah Hawes, who hits a layup for the Wolfpack. Perry misses a three pointer from the side. Laingsburg misses a three pointer from the side. Perry travels on a shot off the dribble from the side. Landon Freeman passes to Jake Rivet, who hits a three point shot from the top of the key for Laingsburg. Brady Doerner is fouled on a driving layup and hits one of his two free throws to give Perry an 18-14 lead with 4:33 to play in the half.

Brady Doerner steals a Wolfpack pass and hits a fast break layup for the Ramblers. Jake Rivet passes to Colton Heaton, who hits a three point shot from the side for the Wolfpack. Trey Selbig drives the baseline and hits a layup for Perry. Laingsburg commits an over and back violation. Trey Selbig passes to Brady Doerner, who hits a three point shot from the wing to extend the Perry lead to 25-17.

Trey Selbig steals a pass. A Perry layup is negated by a traveling violation. Laingsburg misses a three pointer from the wing; the rebound goes out of bounds and Perry gets the ball. Perry misses an eight foot shot off the dribble from the side. Everette Rodriguez passes to Leandro Dolega-Caceres, who is fouled on a layup and hits two free throws to trim the Perry lead to 25-19 with 42.3 seconds to play in the half.

Kade McLean knocks the ball away from Perry; the ball becomes a hot potato, but Laingsburg finally secures possession just in time to heave the ball at the basket (and miss) when the halftime buzzer blares.

Perry has a 25-19 lead at halftime.

During the halftime ceremony, Perry introduces its Winter Homecoming Court and crowns a king and queen. Alex McEwen takes a bit of time from his duties in the Perry post and accepts the king’s crown. Emma Winans is named homecoming queen. The Wrestling Crew won the chili cookoff!

As the readers cannot enjoy the halftime events, I hope you will enjoy these two tunes from my You Tube Channel.

Trumpeter John Rickert and I jam (with some help from drummer extraordinaire Donny Brown) on “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1MxOus8t44

“Down South in New Orleans” was a country hit in 1955; its calypso beat was ahead of its time for country music. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QUZ5FrpeFA

Laingsburg tosses the ball inbounds to get quarter number three underway. The Wolfpack misses a layup. Josiah Hawes gets the offensive rebound for the Wolfpack. Laingsburg misses a ten foot shot off the dribble from the side of the lane. Jake Rivet snags the offensive rebound for the Wolfpack. Alex McEwan steals the ball for Perry.

The Ramblers miss a layup. Laingsburg reciprocates and misses a layup. The rebound goes out of bounds and the Wolfpack gets another opportunity. Laingsburg misfires on a threeball from the wing. Jake Rivet pulls down the offensive rebound for the Wolfpack. Jake Rivet hits a three point shot from the corner for Laingsburg to cut the Perry lead to 25-22.

Josiah Hawes draws a charging foul from Perry. Laingsburg misses a driving layup. Leandro Dolega-Caceres tips in the ball for the Wolfpack. He is fouled on the play, but misses his free throw. With 5:58 to play in quarter number three, the Perry lead is down to 25-24.

Josiah Hawes blocks a Perry layup. Jake Rivet whips a cross court pass to Leandro Dolega-Caceres, who hits a three point shot from the side to give Laingsburg the lead. Anthony Cochrane passes to a Perry teammate who is fouled on a layup, but misses both free throws. With 4:53 to go in quarter number three, Laingsburg has a 27-25 lead.

Laingsburg misses a three pointer from the corner. Jake Rivet gets the offensive rebound for the Wolfpack. Jacob Adkins steals the ball for Perry. Anthony Cochrane drives and hits a layup for Perry to tie the game. Laingsburg misses a driving layup. The rebound goes out of bounds and the Wolfpack gets another possession.

Trey Selbig steals the ball for Perry. Jake Rivet steals the ball for Laingsburg. Kollin Bentley-Barr hits a layup to give his Wolfpack the lead. Anthony Cochrane is fouled on a six foot banked shot from the side and hits two free throws for Perry to tie the game at 29-29 with 3:14 left in quarter number three.

Laingsburg misses a twelve foot shot from the side of the lane. Trey Selbig drives and hits a left-handed layup to give Perry the lead. Laingsburg misses a three point shot from the side. Jacob Adkins hits a driving layup and is fouled. He hits his free throw to give Perry a 34-29 lead with 2:15 to go in quarter number three.

Everette Rodriguez passes to Jake Rivet, who hits a three point shot from the side for Laingsburg. Perry misses a twelve foot shot off the dribble from the side. Jake Rivet passes to Everette Rodriguez, who quickly relays the ball to Waylon Rowley, who hits a three point shot from the corner to give the Wolfpack a 35-34 lead.

Waylon Rowley forces a Perry traveling violation. Laingsburg holds the ball for the last shot. Alex McEwan knocks the ball loose, but Colton Heaton picks the ball up and hits a layup for Laingsburg just before the buzzer sounds and quarter number three is over.

After three quarters, Laingsburg has a 37-34 lead.

Perry has the ball to begin the fourth quarter. The Ramblers drive the baseline, but miss a layup. Laingsburg misses a ten foot banked shot off the dribble from the side. Perry misses a layup. Trey Selbig gets the offensive rebound and hits a reverse layup for thee Ramblers. Laingsburg misses a three point shot from the side. The rebound goes out of bounds and Perry gets the ball. The Ramblers miss a driving layup. Leandro Dolega-Caceres drives and banks in a five foot shot to give Laingsburg a 39-36 lead.

Trey Selbig passes to Anthony Cochrane, who hits a clutch threeball from the top of the key for Perry to tie the game. Laingsburg misses a three point shot from the side. Leandro Dolega-Caceres gets the offensive rebound for the Wolfpack. Laingsburg misses a layup. Josiah Hawes is fouled on a putback and hits one of his two free throws to give Laingsburg a 40-39 with 5:37 to go.

Trey Selbig drives and hits a layup to giver Perry a one point lead. Laingsburg misses a layup. Perry misses a three pointer from the corner. Jake Rivet passes to Josiah Hawes, who hits a layup to give the lead back to Laingsburg. Kollin Bentley-Barr forces a Perry traveling violation as the Ramblers shoot a layup. Jake Rivet passes to Colton Heaton, who hits a three point shot from the side for Laingsburg. Trey Selbig is fouled on a driving layup and hits one of his two free throws to shave the Wolfpack lead to 45-42 with 3:16 left on the clock.

The rebound from the missed free throw goes out of bounds and Laingsburg gets the ball. Josiah Hawes passes to Kollin Bentley-Barr, who hits a three point shot from the side to give Laingsburg a six point lead. Perry misses a three point shot from the side. A Laingsburg ball handler steps on the sideline. Anthoney Cochrane passes to Try Selbig, who hits a three point shot from the wing to cut the Laingsburg lead to 48-45.

Jake Rivet inbounds the ball to Leandro Dolega-Caceres, who hits a layup for the Wolfpack. Trey Selbig hits a reverse layup for Perry. Trey Selbig knocks the ball away from Perry and Aydin Sloan picks it up for Perry. Perry misses a three point shot from the wing. Alex Torrez steals the ball for Perry. Perry misses a three point attempt from the wing. Jake Rivet is fouled on the rebound and hits one of his two free throws to give Laingsburg a 51-47 lead with 12.5 seconds remaining.

Perry misses a three point shot from the side. Laingsburg is fouled and misses two free throws with 1.8 seconds left. Perry misses a heave as the buzzer decides the game is over.

Laingsburg wins this tight game by the final score of 51-47.

Trey Selbig led the Perry scoring with 18 points. Anthony Cochrane supported his teammate with 13 points. Brady Doerner scored 6 points. Alex McEwan totaled 4 points. Alex Torrez and Jacob Adkins each tacked on 3 points.

Leandro Dolega-Caceras led the Wolfpack scoring with 15 points. Jake Rivet joined his teammate in double figures with 10 points. Colton Heaton and Kollin Bentley-Barr each contributed 8 points. Josiah Haws scored 7 points and Waylon Rowley put in 3 points.